Flag holder and classification lamp



0. F. KLOETZER. FLAG HOLDER AND CLASSIFICATION LAMP.

APPLICATION man my :0. 1920 Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

SHEETSSHEET I.

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A'ITORNEY WITNESS Patented'Feb. 7, 1922.

2 SHEE TSSHEET 2.

IIIIIIIII'llI'I'II'I'I'III'IIIIIII"IA 0. F. KLOETZER. FLAG HOLDER ANDCLASSIFICATION LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1-0, I920.

J: ,3 WI'A'NYESSES I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OTTO F. KLOETZER, OF WASHINGTON, INDIANA.

FLAG HOLDER AND CLASSIFICATION LAMP.

Application filed July 10,

To all whom: it may concern Be it known that I, Or'ro F. KLonrznR, acitizen of the United States, residing at WVashing-ton, in the county ofDaviess and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Flag Holders and Classification Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a novel flag pole and, classification lampforlocomotives and the like and the principal object of the invention isto provide means for lighting a lamp and moving a screen before the samewhen the flag is raised, the screen being the same color as the flag.

Another obj ect of the invention is to make the flags of metal orsimilar material and to slidably mount them on their staffs and toprovide a casing forholding the flags when not in use, thecasing beingof less length than the staffs.

This invention also consists in. certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, ref- Figure 1 is a side elevationof the inven-h tion with one flag in raised position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Figure 3 is across sectionalview. Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line teed of Figure 2..

Figure 5 is a detail. sectional view through the switch.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the lamp carryingmember.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the bayonet slots in the lamp carryingmember. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the opcrating lever for thescreen.

In these views 1 indicates the casing approximately which is adapted tobe secured to each side i front end of the casing by means of the screws18. The-button part of this switch of the locomotive in any suitablemanner.

The front end'is provided with a window 2 Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. .7, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 395,226.

lamp, placed in the casing, will pass so that said rays may be seen froma point in front of the locomotive and to either side thereof. Thetop-of the casing is open except the front end thereof where a shortcover strip 4 is located, the inner ends of which is provided with apair of notches 5. The top part of the casing slopes downwardly from thefront to the rear as shown. A shaft 6, which may be in the form of abolt, passes through the upper part of the casing adjacent its front endand the flag staffs 7 and Shave their lower ends rotatably connectedwith said shaft. When the shafts are in upright position they willengage the, notches 5 and they may be held therein by means of the latch9 which ishingedly secured to the cover t by the clip 10. 'As will beunderstood only one of the flags is held in raised position at a timeand the latch can be made to engage either staff by swinging it to theright or left. This latch is of substantially U-shape with one endlooped to provide a handle as will be seen from Figure 3. The upper endof the rearend of the casing is provided with the notches 11 forreceiving the staffs when they are in their lower positions. Each staffcarries a flag 12 which is preferably made of metal and is slidablymounted on the staff by having strips 13 bent to form eyes toslidinglyreceive the shaft. The flag is held at the upper end of the staff bymeans of the spring latch 14 which is similar to the well known umbrellalatch. When the flag is not to be used it is moved towards the pivotedend of the staff, the latch' being depressed to permit this movement andthe staff isrlowered until it engages the notch 11 with the flag withinthe casing as shown in Figure 2. A guiding strip 15 of inverted Vshapeis. placed in the lower part of the casing for guiding the flags towardsthe sidewalls of the casing. The bottom of the casing is left open so aspit to catch and hold rain water and the I provide means for lighting anelectric lamp by the raising of the flag, such means consists of anordinary button switch 16 which is carried by a small casing 17detachably secured to the upper part of the passes through a hole in thefront end of the casing and is adapted to be pressed upon by an arm 19secured to the base part of I each of the flag staffs, said arm being soarranged that when the flag staff is moved 2 and 3. Thus the lamp willonly be ignited when one or the other of the flags is in raisedposition.

I also provide means for displayin a light of the same color as theraised ag. For instance, if green and white flags are being used Iprovide a pair of screens 21, the transparent portions of which are ofgreen color and said screens cover the windows 2 and 3 when the greenflag is in raised position. As soon as the green flag is lowered,however, it will engage the hooked part of a spring rod 22 and move saidrod downwardly and this movement of the rod will rock the lever 23 onits pivot 24c and as said lever is connected with the screens by thelinks 25 said screens will be raised in their guideways 26 above thewindow openings and thus a white light will be displayed when the whiteflag is in raised position. As soon as the green flag is raised theweight of the screens will cause the parts to assume a position with thescreens covering the window openings and thus display a green light. Inorder to prevent the flag from coming in contact with the lever and rodI provide a curved shield 27 which is secured to one side of the casingabove the pivotal parts of the lever and the rod. As said rod 22 is madeof spring metal its hooked end will move away from the side of thecasing when the green flag is raised and will project beyond the side ofthe guide strips 15. This will insure the hooked part being engaged bythe green flag when the same is lowered.

I also provide means for removing the electric lamp if the electricsystem of the train should be disorganized for any reason and forsubstituting an oil burning lamp. In order to do this I provide acup-shaped member 28 which carries the lamp socket 29, said socketresting upon an insulated strip 30 which is supported from a base 31carried by the cup member. The contact member 32 rests upon theinsulated strip and has a spring end passing into the bottom of thesocket for engaging the central contact of the lamp while the othercontact member 33 is connected with the screwed part of the socket andalso rests upon the insulated strip. These members 32 and 33 areelectrically connected with the switch and a suitable source ofelectrical supply. The cup-shaped member is detachably secured to thebottom of the casing by fitting over a flange 34 which projectsdownwardly from the casing and surrounds an opening therein. This flangecarries a pair of lugs 35 which are adapted to engage the bayonet slots36 oil lantern for the same.

formed in the cup-shaped member 7 and spring latch members 37 carried bythe cupshaped member engage said lugs and hold the parts against turningmovement and thus lock the parts together. If the electric system shouldbe disorganized for any reason it is simply necessary to remove thecupshaped member and substitute an ordinary A shield 38 is placed in thecasing to protect the lamp and its associated parts from the elements.

it will thus be seen that the flags, being made of metal, will last foryears thus replacing the flags made of cloth which wear out very quicklyor become so soiled that they must be replaced by new ones. The flags ofmy device remain on the engine at all times and are protected by thecasing. When a flag is to be used it is simply necessary to swing itsstaff into raised position and lock it in this position by the latchmember and then shove the flag to the upper end of the staff. Thismovement of the'staff will light the lamp and if it is a green flag thegreen screens will drop in front of the lamp to give a green light. Thelamp socket can be easily removed to place a new lamp therein or topermit an oil lamp to be substituted.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, providedthat such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is V 1. A device of the class described comprising acasing, a shaft passing through the same adjacent the front end thereof,a pair of flag staffs pivoted on said shaft, a slidably mounted flagformed of a sheet of metal on each st'afl, a latch member on each stafffor holding the flag in raised position, said flags being adapted to bemoved downwardly so as to enter the casing when the staffs are lowered.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a shaftpassingthrough the casing adjacent the top part of its front end, a pairof flag staffs rotatably connected with. said shaft, metal flags carriedby said staffs, a notched cover part on the casing,

the notches of which receive the staffs when latch member on each stafffor holding the flag at the upper end of the staff, a cover part at thefront end of the casing having notches therein for receiving the staffs,a latch member on the cover part for engaging either staff for holdingthe staffs in raised position, the rear end of the casing having notchestherein for receiving the staffs when in lowered position and a guidingmember in the lower part of the casing of inverted V-shape forseparating the flags.

l. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a windowtherein, a shaft passing through the casing adjacent the upper part ofits front wall, a pair of flag staffs rotatably connected with saidshaft, flags carried by said staffs, a lamp in the casing, a movablescreen in the casing and means for moving the screen to cover the windowwhen one of the flag staffs is raised while permitting the other flag tobe raised without affecting the screen.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a shaft mountedtherein, a pair of flag staffs pivotally mounted on the shaft, a pair ofwindows in the casing, a lamp in thec asing adjacent the windows, a pairof movable screens for covering the windows, and means for moving thescreens before the windows when one of the flag staffs is in raisedposition and permitting the same to remain in inactive position when theother flag staff is raised.

6. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a pair ofwindows therein, a pair of flag staffs pivotally mounted in said casing,a lamp in the casing adjacent the windows, guideways adjacent eachwindow, a screen located in each guideway, a pivoted lever, linksconnecting the same with the screens, a spring rod connected with thelever and having a hooked end, and. a flag on each staff formed of stiffmaterial, one flag being adapted to engage the hooked part of the rodwhen the flag is lowered to rock the lever to raise the screens frombefore the windows.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

OTTO F. KLOETZER.

